I need some info on montipora coral

[plancton]

Hi, I am new in marine tanks, in fact the tank I want to have is still a project, I am gathering money and will have enough in 4 months to buy my 50 gallon.

Before I was thinking on having LPS only, since they are easier to keep, in fact I didn't like SPS. But soon I started to like SPS a lot, since the colors are so intense.

The only problem is that my 50 gallon is going to be under 384 power compacts. This could even be enought to keep acroporas if I would keep them at the top.

But from what I've read, they also need high current and other requirements. Plus in my opinion they need a lot of place and may be more suitable for bigger tanks.

But there is one that caught my attention, the famous montipora. IT is a sps, but it's much easier to keep. I would like to keep one purple and another orange. I read they require moderate lighting. I might want to keep even at the highest point of my aquarium, so the question is. Can it thrive unde 384 power compacts?, or that would be to intense for the poor guy at the top of the tank?

[Mstamic]

I have 3 frags at the top of my tank...same lighting scheme exactely for a 75 gal...which is pretty much the same dimentions but it's taller. In the past 2 months, i've seen some great growth...every week i can see where the new growth has pushed through. I don't have anything else to compare to in terms of if it does better under such and such lighting...but i'm very pleased. I have the frags at varying heights from 2" under the waterline to 6"....I think even if it was lower it would still do pretty well. I'd say go for it....but wait a long time before you look to pop this one in your tank...Depending on how you do your set up...i'd say wait 6 mo. to a year. I waited 14 months before i attempted any sps. I also have the cheap DIY wally world $5 wave makers with 2 620 seios going for varying current including 4 smaller powerheads within the rockwork for extra water movement. Currently feeding the tank live phyto and brine shrimp. I don't know if live food is a requirement....i do it just to to it.